Absorption refrigerating apparatus



Oct. 30, 1.934. E. E. ALLYNE ABSORPTION REFRIGERATING APPARATUS Filed Feb. 7. 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet a Wm? 4 6 2 E Z w $2 531 1. fl: m a M W 3 h m M a; /i 3 a w 3 M Z a a m in Na 5V 2 MG 2 2 ATTORNEYZS Patented Oct. 30, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE,

13 Claims.

This invention relates to absorption refrigerating apparatus.

The object of this invention is to provide a refrigerator or icebox with absorption refrigerat- 6 ing apparatus and to so arrange and equip such absorption apparatus with suitable means whereby it may be operated by air cooling and without the use of impounded or running water.

In accomplishing this result a suitable cabinet is provided with an apparatus compartment for the condenser, still absorber, cooling loop and burner. This apparatus compartment is also provided with means forming part of a flue system and communicates with a main upper flue extending preferably up the back of the box and open at the top to the atmosphere whereby the'draft created by the flue especially with the heat produced in the cycle will cool the condenser during the heating period and later cool the still to promote absorption during the cooling period. The invention also contemplates the isolation of a rectifier in an auxiliary flue all its own and controlling the air circulation through such flue to the end of having a rectifier subjected to the v ideal temperature for ideal rectifying purposes. Another feature of this invention is the isolation of the evaporator supply and gas return pipe or conduit in a second auxiliary flue to prevent it being subjected to the heat from the still absorber a0 and to promote its ideal functioning in the apparatus.

Still another feature of the invention is a very efllcient air cooled loop arrangement for use in cooling the boiler liquor during the cooling perlod for promoting absorption, circulation in this loop being set up by the returning gas during the cooling period.

Other details of the invention will be brought out in the following description, drawings and 0 claims.

Referring to the drawings, Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view taken through the refrigerator from front to rear with parts shown in section and elevation; Fig. 2 is a rear elevation of the box with 5 the rear wall removed; Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3-3, Fig. 2.

In the embodiment shown in the drawings the refrigerating cabinet comprises a heat insulating casing 1 open at the front to form the re- 5 frigerating chamber. The cabinet also includes tom, the former for access to theapparatus and the latter for providing an open mouth for a flue and for receiving the condenser, as'will appear. Extending from the lower front edge of the appa ratus compartment to the back'edge of the refrigerating chamber is a flue plate 3 forming with thesides and the back a flue compartment 3' for the condenser, the cooling loop, the burner and the still absorber. The back 4 of this apparatus compartment is continued'upward for the full width and height of the box and together with side plates 5 and 6 and intermediate strips 7 and 8, form a main flue 9, a rectifier flue 10, and a gas supply and return flue 11 asshown clearly in Fig. 3. Arranged in the bottom opening of the apparatus chamber 2 and the flue chamber 3' therein is a. condenser comprising a plurality of coils 12 arranged in a lower group and an upper smaller group and extending from the front part way toward the back. All of these coils are provided with flns 13 to increase the transfer of the heat to the air current passing up through the flue. Arranged above the condenser and inthis flue portion 3' is a still absorber in the form of a horizontally arranged tank 14. This still absorber or tank is provided at one of its ends with a pair of downwardly extending loop conduits 15 communicating with the still absorber at a point above the bottom thereof and with a horizontal loop header 16 connected to a plurality of loop pipes 17 arranged horizontally in a bank or group and all provided with a multiplicity of flns 18 to permit air cooling. These pipes 17 all communicate with another loop header 19 at the opposite end of the still absorber and this header communicates by a single loop conduit 20 with the bottom of the still. The loop conduit 20 is continued downward in a sump conduit 21 leading to a suitable sump in the form ofa long closed end tubular member. Communicating with the pair of loop conduits 15 and extending into their sides are two gas return connections 23 and 24, the former being slightly lower than the latter and both merging into a single gas return pipe 25 entering the side of a trap casing 26 about a third of the way down from its top. This trap casing 26 is closed except for the pipes which enter it.

Extending upwardly from the end of the still adjacent the flue 10 is a gas outlet and rectifier tube or pipe 27 which extends to the top of the .flue 10 and returns to and entersthe trap casing 26 and extends to a point near the bottom thereof and hence below the surface of .the liquor therein. The flue 10 is preferably provided with a cross partition or diaphragm plate 28 having an opening 29 therein adapted to be closed by a suitable damper 30 arranged upon the lower end of a thermostatic rod 31 guided in a bracket 32 at the bottom and adjustably mounted in a bracket 33 at the top. The arrangement of this thermostatic rod is such that when the temperature in the flue 10 exceeds the proper rectifying point the damper operates and prevents undue heating so that by arranging the rectifier in its own flue and regulating the temperature in this flue the rectifier may be subject at all times to the best working temperature.

The trap casing 26 is still further provided with a top connection 34 forming a part of a pipe 35. leading down to the top of the condenser as at 36. The bottom of the condenser is connected by a pipe 3'7, extending up through the flue 11 with an evaporator storage tank 38. The bottom of this storagetank is connected to a refrigerating unit or grid comprising the pipes 39 extending back and forth in a horizontal grid and at the far end ending in a sump 40 connected by a pipe 41 with the upper end of a sealing trap comprising the parts 42 and 43, the latter being connected by a cross pressure equalizing pipe 44 with the pipe 3'7. The trap comprising the parts 42 and 43 may be of any preferred construction, it being only necessary that it be of a type for sustaining the proper column of liquid refrigerant in the evaporator as a whole and yet permitting the return of any accumulated boiler liquor to the still through the pipe 44 and the pipe 3'7. Above the refrigerating grid, formed of the pipes 39, is a heat absorber comprising a pan 45 adapted to rest on this grid and at its rear to snugly fit as at 46 the storage 38. Below the refrigerating grid is a heat insulating slab 47 extending up in the back as at 48 to a point where it contacts with the grid coil. This forms a chamber for ice cube containers 49. The compartment formed above the refrigerating grid is closed by a relatively narrow horizontally extending hinged door 50 while the ice cube compartment is closed by a similar hinged narrow door 51 both of these doors being within the main door 52 of the box.

The boiler is provided with a main burner 53 having a pilot 54 the latter being arranged to the rear of the still absorber and directly under the main flue 9 so as to induce a draft upwardly therein. Extending from the flame zone of this pilot down to the main burner is a trailing tube 55 provided with a plurality of closely associated openings 56. This trailing tube is closed at its end near the pilot and is open to the main burner so that when the main burner is supplied with fuel or in other words when the fuel is turned on to the main burner a trail of small gas supplies will extend from the pilot to the main burner. These gas supplies will ignite and the flame will trail from the pilot down to the main burner and light it. By this arrangement the pilot may be kept burning all the time to promote circulation of air for cooling the condenser and other parts during cooling period and will not be effective upon the still or other parts. At the same time it will be ready to ignite the main burner at the proper time.

From the foregoing it will be seen that during the heating period heat will be applied to the liquor in the still which will give up its ammonia gas. This gas will rise through the rectifier and be rectified and will pass down below the surface of the liquor in the main trap casing 26, bubble up through this liquid and passing out by the condenser pipe 35 to the top of the condenser where it will be condensed by the cooling action of the air and the pressure created within the device. As the liquid collects in the condenser it is forced up through the pipe 37' past the trap 43 and up to the top of the storage tank 38. It will flow into the storage tank and into the refrigerating unit or grid if it be empty and cool to the proper level as determined by trap 43. Any heat carried by this liquid refrigerant will be readily absorbed by the heat absorber which may be in the form of a cake of ice in the container 45, transfer of heat from the storage to this absorber being greatly facilitated by the nesting relation of this absorber about one side of the storage. When the heating period terminates the condenser and still cool by the circulation of air, assisted by the heat, through the flue formed in the apparatus and the liquid refrigerant in the evaporator gasifies and returns by the pipe 37 to the condenser thence through the pipe 35 to the top of the trap and through the loop pipe 25 to the conduits 15 where it bubbles up through the liquor in these conduits and starts the circulation of the boiler liquid therein. The draft in the flue therefore cools the loop and absorption takes pace with a consequent refrigeration in the apparatus.

The provision of the flue and the arrangement of the still loop and condenser within the flue is of great importance because the heat generated by the apparatus tends to produce the proper cooling of the parts at the proper time and permits air cooling of the apparatus and does away with the usual impounded and circulating water arrangement.

What I claim is:

1. In refrigerating apparatus, an evaporator, a still-absorber and an air cooled condenser connected in operative cycle and arranged in the order mentioned with the evaporator at the top, a casing enclosing said still-absorber and said air cooled condenser and forming a flue thereabout whereby the heat effective upon the still tends to induce a draught of air through said flue and a cooling loop in circuit with said still-absorber and arranged in said flue between said still and said condenser.

2. Absorption refrigerating apparatus comprising a cabinet having a. refrigerating chamber, an apparatus compartment below the same having an open bottom and a flue communicating with said apparatus compartment, an evaporator, still-absorber and condenser connected in operative cycle, said evaporator being arranged in the refrigerating compartment, said condenser being arranged in the bottom opening of said apparatus compartment and said still-absorber being arranged in said apparatus compartment above said condenser.

3. Refrigerating apparatus as in claim 1, wherein a heater for said still is arranged in the flue between the loop and the still.

4. An absorption refrigerating unit as in claim 2, wherein additional flues are provided at the sides of the main flue for receiving the various tubes of the absorption refrigerator unit.

5. An absorption refrigerating unit as in claim 2 wherein an auxiliary flue is provided for the rectifier and a second auxiliary flue is provided for gas supply and return from the evaporator to the still.

6. An absorption refrigerating unit as in claim 2 wherein an auxiliary flue is provided for the rectifier and a second auxiliary flue is provided for gas supply and return from the evaporator 15 to the. still, and means fgr controlling the temperature in said rectifying flue.

.7. An absorption refrigerating unit as in claim 2 wherein an auxiliary flue is provided for the rectifier and a second auxiliary flue is provided for gas supply and return from the evaporator to the still, means for controlling the temperature in said rectifying flue and comprising a damper for interrupting passage of air through said rectifier flue, and thermostatic means for controlling said damper.

8. Refrigerating apparatus comprising a casing, a refrigerating chamber therein, an air flue arranged in said casing and having two openings, one being at the bottom of the casing, a refrigerating apparatus arranged in said casing and including an evaporator in the refrigerating chamber, and a condenser above and adjacent to the mouth of the bottom opening of said flue whereby the draft of air in through the bottom of the casing and through said flue cools said condenser.

9. Refrigerating apparatus as in claim 8, wherein the refrigerating apparatus is of the absorption type and includes a still-absorber and a heating means, the still-absorber and heating means being arranged in said flue above said condenser.

10. In refrigerating apparatus, a still-absorber, a condenser and evaporator connected in operative cycle, an air cooled loop extending down from the bottom of the still-absorber and in circulatory communication therewith, and a suitable flue housing said still-absorber and loop whereby the heat of the still creates a draft past said loop.

frigerating cabinet in which is mounted an evaporator, an apparatus compartment below said cabinet in which is mounted a still-absorber, and condenser connected in operative series with the said evaporator, a flue atthe rear of the cabinet from the apparatus compartment to the top of the cabinet, a fuel burner mounted below said still-absorber, and a pilot burner therefor positioned under said flue and in alignment therewith.

12. In a refrigerating apparatus, a cabinet, an evaporator mounted therein, an apparatus compartment below said cabinet, said compartment being open at the bottom, a still-absorber and condenser in said compartment connected in operative cycle with said evaporator, a flue extending from the said compartment upward along the back of the cabinet and a diaional flue bafl'ie positioned from adjacent the flu to the lower front edge of the compartment.

13. .In refrigerating apparatus, a still-absorber, condenser and evaporator connected in operative cycle, the said still-absorber and condenser being positioned adjacent a flue, a main burner for said still-absorber whereby the heat rising from the operation thereof induces a draft in said flue, and a pilot burner in operative relation with said main burner mounted under said flue and in alignment therewith tending to create a constant draft therein.

EDMUND E. ALLYNE.

"11. A refrigerating apparatus including a re 

